1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to utility boxes such as those used to provide access to drain and supply lines in a wall, and in particular to a funnel for connecting a secondary drainage line, such as a condensate line from an appliance, to the same drain line to which a washing machine is also connected.
2. Description of the Related Art
Washing machines are typically provided with connections for hot and cold water supply hoses and with a drain hose through which waste water is expelled. These hoses need to be connected to respective hot and cold water supply lines and to a drain line. The supply lines and drain line are typically located inside a wall in stud bays formed between respective wall studs. A laundry box is used to provide access to the supply lines and drain line through a finished wall so that the respective hoses can be connected.
A typical laundry box comprises a box having a pair of side walls, top and bottom end walls, a back wall and an open front or face. The bottom wall will include a drain opening through which the drain line can be accessed. A pair of supply line openings for admitting the supply lines into the box are formed in either the top or bottom wall, depending upon the direction from which the supply lines are plumbed. Hot and cold water shut-off valves are mounted inside the box in communication with the respective hot and cold supply lines. Mounting flanges are generally provided on the box for connecting it to one or more nearby wall studs. Wallboard is fastened to the wall studs, leaving a wall opening aligned with the front of the laundry box. When a washing machine is installed, the hot and cold supply hoses are run into the laundry box through the wall opening and connected to the respective hot and cold shut-off valves. Similarly, the washing machine drain hose is run into the laundry box through the wall opening and inserted into the drain line through the drain opening.
Other types of appliances and household systems produce secondary drainage which needs to be drained off, preferably into a drain line. For example, air conditioners, high efficiency furnaces and the like, produce liquid condensation. Other systems, such as water softeners and reverse osmosis water purification systems also produce secondary drainage. Often, it would be convenient to connect a drain hose from one of these sources of secondary drainage to a drain line through a laundry box, however conventional laundry boxes are not equipped to receive two drain hoses (one from a washing machine and one from a source of secondary drainage) simultaneously.
This problem has been previously addressed by providing a laundry box with dual drain openings which are both then connected to a drain line using a wye or other adapter positioned below the laundry box. One of the outlets can then be used for the laundry drain hose and the other can be used for connecting a drain hose for secondary drainage. Laundry boxes of this type are disclosed by U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,125,881 and 6,148,850. A problem with laundry boxes of this type is that the addition of the extra drain outlet makes them unnecessarily large and therefore impractical to install in tight spaces.